Haystack Mountain Trail

Haystack Mountain Trail is a 4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Wilmington, VT that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible from March until November.

4.0 miles1138 feetOut & Back

kid friendly

birding

hiking

nature trips

trail running

walking

forest

views

wild flowers

wildlife

The trail starts out at a decent incline with lots of large gravel but soon after taking a left toward the summit, you're on a more rocky-rooty trail. It rained yesterday and snowed earlier in the week so it was pretty wet and we took our sweet time since it was a little slippery. Part of the trail is quite flooded right now with a little snow here and there (I've posted some photos) but we stuck to the sides and hopped rocks, our feet staying dry. We actually really enjoyed hiking through the water and once we took a right toward the summit, the trail was much drier but still a bit slippery and muddy. There is moss everywhere on this part of the trail and it felt like a place where hobbits and fairies reside! The smell of spruce filled our nostrils and the views were fantastic despite peak foliage season being over. This summit area is a small clearing with a few boulders and if you scurry over a large gap between boulders toward your right, there are more great views through the trees! I give this one a rating of four only because of the large gravel section in the beginning and we did find (and pick up) a few pieces of trash left behind. Totally recommend this hike but definitely wear proper water resistant/proof footwear!

A nice hike with different terrains. A beautiful view at the top. Definitely easy and good for all ages. Dogs mostly off leash and happy. The first part of the trail is rocky but as soon as you turn into the forest the trail is satisfying and changes. The top view is small but a great view! Also beware of copperheads at tool. We saw 3 sunning on the the trees at the top, so keep your dogs leashed!!

Beautiful hike! Parking is on the street near the entrance. Hike up a moderate to steep gravel road/path to the trailhead. Great trail through the woods at a moderate incline, sometimes level. After the sign that says "Haystack summit .3 miles" you will come to a fork near the top. If you go left, you will end up on a rock without a view. Go right at the fork to see the lovely vista. Explore the narrow trail leading off of the vista to the right, and get another nice view.

A pretty easy hike, a small/intimate summit, and a great view. Parking is along the wide, dirt road. The trail is very clearly marked.

A word of caution: Once you are ~1.5 miles in, you must take a trail on the right in order to get up the mountain. It is clearly marked with a sign, but you may miss it if you're paying too much attention to your feet (navigating through mud, etc). Also, the green mountain website warns, "Do not get lost on this hike as there is absolutely nothing to the North or West of you but miles and miles forest." If you do miss the turn, the trail will become very narrow and you'll see a couple more signs warning you not to trespass on the land surrounding the water supply. Especially if you see red diamond trail markers, you need to turn around!

Kirk K.

Mary and I had a great time completing this 2+ hour hike. Out and back, there were friendly people on the trail due to an adventure competition which was being sponsored by a business in Dover.

The trail started out as a nice double track with hardscrabble. Then it turned into a single track with a variety of terrain. Nearly all the way to the summit the tree canopy shaded us from the sun. There are no vistas until you reach the summit, but the trees and rock formations kept my mind busy.